Dear Sarah
It is Sunday and I thought that as we have no meetting my time could not be improved in a better way than by writting a few lines to my loved ones at Home.
I know that Mother and perhaps some of the rest of you are writting to me tonight if you are all [in]. I have thought of you all a good many times to day and glad I shall be when the time comes (if it ever does) when I shall see you.
it is a great disappontment to most of the Regt that they are to be kept 3 weeks longer than they should be. We take it as a wrong on the part of the Goverment but I shall not complain if my Health is not lost by staying through the warm wether. although I feel as if it was my duty to be at Home as soon as possabl for I fear that I am needed more by my Familey than I am by the Goverment
My Health is very good now I have never felt Better since I came South I hope that it will last but we are in this climate liable to be sick at any time. at the time I went on the Clinton march I was quite unwell was Billious but the Steward dockterd me up so that I soon got over it. the Steward['s] Health is poor but he tryes to keep round with us. Dr McCollister is sick with this Climate Fever also Ageatant Willes I am in hopes that they will break up the Fever so that they will not have a long Run of sickness I made a call on Comp B to day. Solon Spoonner is quite unwell he is better than he was a few days ago I saw the too Farmmers [Franklin Farmer and Sherborn B. Farmer] they are well I cant think of anyone that you are acquainted with that was wounded. Col Kimball had a buck shot wound in the leg above the nee it was slite he is [quite] untell [quiet until ?] today think he will be better in a day or two
June 22d
I was obliged to stop writting yesterday on [acct] of a shower it rained powerfully my paper cot some wet and dirty but if you can read it it will not make much difference
I have not herd from Capt Taft since he was sent to New Orleans his leg was amputated below the knee he was doing well when he left. I exspect thay are getting ready for a nother Battle for it has ben quiet here for a few days past and there seemes to be preperations making for another Charge thay have got a large number of Suggar Hogsheads and filled them with Cotton thay are going to role them in front as they advanc I pray that thay may be succesfull this time. for I have lain in the woods long enuf for this time - and I think it is not Healthy for the men to sleep in the bushes. I am vary glad to that you are better or rather have got well especily of your coughf if you find that it does not agree with your Health to work in the shop leave it by all means as your health is worth more to you than money. if you had seen as sickness as I have you prize it above Rubies give my love respect to your friends in the [missing word ?] Mr Brick and all others that enquir. I notice by a peace cut from the Sentinal that your shop came vary near being destroyed by fier. I [????] it make any difference about your work
I suppose you would like to know how I live. We will tell you we have donuts + flitters made from flower + hard tack Tack worcked in with the flower for dinner we had Hash for Potatoes we used hard Tack. the Flower we have to buy we have also buoght Pickels + dried Apple so that we make out to live vary well althoug not quite as well as you do at Home. the fact is we nead vegitables or somthing of that kind to prevent us from having the Scuvey.
There is a good [deal?] of feeling among the men that is the better portion of them to think that Gen Banks should force them in to a Fight on Sunday when it was not necissary as Monday would have don just as well. and the men would have gon into the Fight with a good more confidance in them selves. Men educated in New England although they may use profane language and not have much regard for the Sabath still they dont like to Fight on that day I belive that it had a good deal to with the result of that days Fight. I will not morrilize but trust that our fighting will be don on some day. Now I want you to write me a good long letter to pay for this for it seemes almost as if I was talking with you when I got a letter from you write about all the little things that takes place in the Shop or at Home anything will be interresting to me that takes place at home or that may happen to any of you. I suppose that the old Piano is sadley out of tune by this time hope you will have it tuned up so as to play me some of you best tunes
I have nothing of the kind here shouldent I like to send one Sabath eve with you all in the old Parlor God willing I hop soon to do so but everything is uncertain here. now dont think that I am home sick for I am not I am willing to stay till the 17 of July but think it is rowng to keep us after that time I suppose we shall have to submit to the power that be right or rong. as I want to write a few lines to Mother I must close this Now I trust that you have becom a woman you will do what you can to make plesant and happy you can do a more than than [sic] you think tords making home plesant I feel guilty for I have always dun as I should and and [sic] hope that when I get home I shall set a better example. With the best wishes of you [sic] Father
S W Browning
I have ben writting Sarah so I will write one page to you I am feeling well this afternoon although I a severe Head last night oweing to eating to much supper and getting wet I toock some cold. I have built me a bed out of some small poles by driving 4 Stakes with a crutch on the end of them and laying the poles on the sticks put in the crotches this keep me up from the ground and prevents the bugs from getting on me so much I find that it is a great improvement I have made 2 or 3 of them but gave them up to the Dr + Steward as they were sick. I have ben vary much pranackeel [practical ?] since I commenced this. by hearing the fact that it is the intention of the Goverment or Gen Banks to keep us nine months from the time the Staf Officers were musterd in Service if that is the case our time will not be out till some time in Sept it is a great roung on the Nine Months Men and I cannot belive that Goverment will be so unjust as to keep us. I suppose we shall have to submit. I am affraid that Aug + Sept will thin our ranks more than the Port Hudson affair it me feell almost discouraged to think of it when our Regt is so small. I dont think of any news to write. I should like to have you send me a paper occasionaly as I want to get the news. if I can get time to night I intend to write to Mr Page and include it with this for you to correct dont see any prospect of our taking this place at presant will write as often as possable for it is plesant for me to pas my time in writting to you trusting that I may soon see you all in Health and hapiness. My love to all especiley to my wife
S W Browning
Compiled by Walter G. Blenderman;